Lubricant-dispensing apparatus



July 16, 1929.

' o. zERK, Now BY JUDICIAL CHANGE oF NAME o. u. zrsRK LUBRI CANT DISPENS ING APPARATU S Filed Aug. V2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV ENTOR05eme UL mm zf/r/l u. e Il I X |\l[ ullz MMMW -Mrrw n h. 2 E .nu vwo. NUlfwwl y l \\w`l\ MM If d i u; .W i n in 1 M v .l n n. .1 ll \m il `l` xM. NIMH W u. 3 wv. M|L

Hw -ATTORNEYS .v I" .1.720,874 Y JUDICIAL CHANGE 0F. NAME o. u. zERKJuly 16, 1929.

INVENTOR 0607,@ UL maas Zee/f) 5,4171.. 1 wam,

` Hf ATTORNEYS.

Patented July `1?, vE129.

-urrsn STA;

encreur OFFICE.

OSCAR ZERK, NOW BY JUDICIAL CHANGE OF NAME OSCAR ULYSSES ZERK, OF CLEVE-LAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ALEMITE MANUFAGTUR'-ING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LUBRICANTT'DISPENSING APPARATUS.

"Application led August 2, 1923. Serial No. 655,293.

My invention relates to lubricant dispensing apparatus andparticularlyto that type.

'of such dispensing apparatus which may be employed for the purpose ofdispensing a liq`A uid, plastic or solidlubricant, such as oil orgrease, to a lubricant receiving element, such apparatus comprising alubricant receptacle and lubricant ejecting apparatus associatedtherewith.

It is an object of my invention to provide in such `a lubricantdispensing apparatus a compact unitary lubricant dispensing pistol,which can be operated while merely holding the pistol in one hand tocause forcible ejeci5 tion of lubricant to a lubricant receiving elementunder a very high hydraulic pressure so that the lubricant will becapable of passing in to biaring surfaces located adjacentl to said elenent, and forcing out therefrom,

ahead of it, old, congealed, dirty,'or gummed lubricant, the newlubricant forcibly displacing the old.

Another vobject of my invention is to provide a lubricant dispensingpistol of high eiiiciency which will be very compact, the samecomprising a high pressure plunger, and a lubricant reservoir withlamovable wall or follower,I said plunger serving to forcibly eject acharge of lubricant at high pressure no into a machine bearing, and whenthe pistol is operated the said follower operating to limit thelubricant containing space in the reservoir to that actually needed forthe contained lubricant above, thereby eliminating 35 admission of airinto the lubricant reservoir.

Another object of my invention is to sccure in an apparatus of thischaracter, the advantages inherent in a lubricant compressor or pistolwherein lubricant is discharged merely by pressing the said compressoror pistol toward the element tobe lubricated with the compressor nozzlein contact therewith.

Other objects of my invention and lthe in vention itself will beapparent from `the de \s`cription of a specific embodiment thereof.l inwhich description, reference will be had -to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings:

sectional view of a lubricant dispensing apparatus -embodying theprinciples of my invention.

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal vertical medial Fig. 2 shows a verticaltransverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. i Fig. 3 shows aView similar to that of Figure 1 except that the. lubricant ejectingapparatus thereof is shown in fully telescoped position, a portion ofthe barrel and the handle attached thereto being in this figure shown inelevation.

Fig. 4; shows a sectional View of a portion of the apparatus shown inFigure '3, an adjacent portion being, however, in this view, shown inelevation.' This view shows the movable wall or follower for thereservoir in the position it assumeswhen the supply of lubricant isnearly exhausted.

Referring new to all the different figures, in all of which like partsare indicated by like reference characters,-

At 1, l show a cylindrical barrel having an end wall or head 2perforated at 3, said barrel having affixed to it near its breech end ahandle 4r, the handle flanges being secured to the barrel b v electricalspot welding` or in any other' well known suitable way. The forward ormuzzle end 6 of the barrel 1 is driven tightly into a cylindricalopening 7, of a support 8. Said support 8 is internally threaded at 9 toadmit a cap head 10 screw threaded into the support 8, cork gasket 11being interposed between adjacent faces of the support 8 and the cap 10.Carried on the cap 10 is an inlet nipple 12 having an inlet opening 13and a ball check valve 14, said nipple being provided for thepurpose ofcharging thepistol with lubricant under pressure, whenever the .supplyof lubricant with* in the barrel 1 shall have become depleted.

` Carried on an arm 15 of the support 8, I have provided a lubricantejecting apparatus comprisinga plunger piston 16 adapted to betelescoped within a lubricant charge containing tube 17. The tube 17 isjournaled within a bushinglS screw-threaded as shown 4at 19 into thesupport arm 15. said support arm containing a longitudinally extendingopening therethrough, andlthe bushing 18 being thus secured into one endof the opening; a cylindrical tube 2() is tightly fitted into the otherend of the opening.

The tube 2O has a cap 21, comprising an end wall rigidly securedthereto. The piston receiving tube 17 has a rigid lubricant di spensingnozzle 22 secured on its .forward end, said 2o A,taining tube 17 and theport 33 is kept open nozzle comprising 'a valve ball 23 and valve seat24 together with a valve spring 25 whereby the ball is normally pressedagainst the seat. The nozzle 22 also has a Contact face 26 and anoutwardl flaring inclined guiding face 27 therefore. aid guiding face isadapted to guide the contact faize of a lubricant receiving nipple intocontact with the nozzle Contact face.

An opening 30 leads from the nozzle contact face to the valve chamber3,1 which, when the ball 23 is unseated, communicates with the bore 32of the tube 17. The tube 17 has a port opening 33, and a piston guideportion- 34 disposed on the side beyond the port open-I ing from thenozzle end of the tube 17, but in axial alignment therewith. The' piston16 has its end 35 normally disposed within the guide portion 34 of thelubricant charge conby the action of the spring 36, which forces theenlarged flanged head 37 of the piston 16 against the inner wall of thecap 21; the spring serves at the same time by engagement with the washer38 rigidly .carried on the tube l17,' on the piston guide portionthereof, to press the tube 17 forwardly to cause it to project itsnozzle end from the forward end of the compressor, to a position such asis shown in Fig. 1; the cork washer 39 at such time is pressed by ametal washer 40, rigidly carried on the tube 17 against. the inner endof thebushing 18, and when the apparatus is not being used this corkwasher or gasket prevents the loss of lubricant as by capillaryattraction when a liquid lu ricant as oil is used. 1

A channel 41 leads from the lubricant reservoir 42 to the lubricantdispensing apparatus compartments and permits lubricant from thereservoir 42 passing through the channel 41 to flow through the port 33into the tube 17 so as to charge or recharge the tube 17 'with a chargeof lubricant. Freely movable longitudinally within the barrel 1, lprovide a composite pistonv comprising a cork piston or follower 43, andmetallic clamping washers 44 and 45 with a bolt 46, having a forwardextending head 47, serving to clamp said washers 44 and 45 against thesaid cork piston 43, and to cause its lateral expansion against theinternal walls of the barrel 1. This movable wall .or followerpreferably has no external mechanical conncetions leading to 'it and isonly movable within the barrel 1 under the influence of a difference ofHuid pressure on the end walls thereof.

Having now outlined, briefly, the different parts of my ii iprovedapparatus, I will now describe the operation thereof.

Prior to putting the pistol into use, it is loaded with lubricant as byinjecting the lubricant from a source of lubricant under pressurethrough the nipple 12, Whichhas an inlet opening 13 and ball valve14,the ball valve being opened by the pressure of the ably in the positionsshown in Fig. .1. At

this time the port 33 opening into the chamber 32 of the tube 17 ispreferably open, and lubricant therefore will-iill all of the innerspaces of the compressor and nozzle until the movable piston follower 43is forced by lubricant from a more forward position to the positionshown in Fig. 1 a-t the rear or breech end of the barrel 1. Lubricant,after filling all of the interior spaces, will begin to flowpast theball valve 23-24, and

through thenozzle opening 30, indicating toA the operator that thecompressor is completelyloaded. y

Having loaded the compressor, the ball check valves 14 and 23--24I willagain be automatically closed bythe power of their restoring springs.Vhen it is desired to use the compressor to eject lubricant at highpressure into such a lubricant receptacle as the nipple 29, the contactface 26 of the nozzle 22 is brought into engagement with the rim of thenipple face, and the operator continuously holding the com ressor by thehandle 4 may then cause forci le ejection of the lubricant into thenipple by merely pressing the compressor forward by the handle andtowards the nipple. When so pressed forward, the tube 17 will bereciproeated relative vto the barrel 1, to telescope within the bushing18 and overthe plunger piston 16, the plunger piston entering thechamber 32, containing a charge of lubricant, after closingthe port Theplunger 16 passes well into the chamber 32 and forces a charge of greasecontained therein ahead of it and through the ball valve 23-24 andthrough the nozzle orifice 30 and into the nipple 29 through the openingin the center of the nip ple end, or Contact face. The nozzle contactface at such time presses tightly and closely against the circular rimof the nipple contact face, and is maintained thereagainst by the manualpressure directed by the operator-against the handle of the compressorand toward the nipple to cause an effectual seal of the contacting faceportions of the nozzle and nipple, against the escape of lubricant, thusat the same time making a fluidtight joint for the passage of lubricantfrom the nozzle to the inner passage of the nipple,

from whence it is directed to bearing surfaces' adjacent the nipple tobe lubricated. The telescoping of the tube 17 through the bushing 18 andover the piston 16 is accomplished against the resistance to suchtelescoping exerted by the spring 36, and also that due to thecounter-pressure exerted by the charge i'io l of lubricant within thechamber 32 .against metteva the advancing piston end. However, the

manual pressure exerted against the flanged.I

end 37 of the piston 16 overpowers such resistance and ejection oflubricant under high fluid pressure results.

" After the ejection of a charge of lubricant from the nozzle in themanner described the operator will withdraw/"the ej ecting pressure bydiscontinuing the manual pressure upon the compressor handle 4, at whichtime the spring 36 will cause relative movement of the tube 17 and thepiston 16, so that the tube 17. will be moved to the relatively extendedposition as shown in Fig. 1. The withdi'awal of the piston 16 from thechamber 32, due to the immediate automatic closure A of the valve 23u24,will create a suction in the said chamber, which, when the-tube 17regains its extended. position, will be communicated through the port 33to the body of lubricant adjacent thereto and extending throughtheconnecting passages to the body of lubricant in the barrel 1. Thiswill createa. forward or feeding movement of the lubricant in the barrel32 to recharge the chamber 32. This will cause a decrease of sideof themovable wall 43 which will then be moved forwardly in close contactwithl the body of lubricant ahead of it by the excess of atmosphericpressure on its rear side, such atmospheric pressure being communicatedthereto through the opening 3 in the barrel breech end wall. This actionwill take place every time the lubricant pistol of my invention isoperated to eject a charge of lubricant, and recharging of the chamber.32 will take place after such ejection, and in each case the movablewall or follower 43 will advancel within the bhrrel 1 such a distance asis com- `mensurable with the volume of lubricant ejected. until finallythe movable follower 43v will take a position substantially as shown inFig. 4, when the rim of the metal cup washer 45 will engage the rim ofthe cap cover 10, at which time the forward movement of the freefollower will be stopped,

the free ijow of lubricant through the passage 41 and port 33 into thetube 17 being prevented; the operator now attempting to again use thecompressor will soon find that little or no lubricant will be fed intothe tube 17 and will be thus apprised that the compressor requiresre-loading. The piston element 45 at the end of its forward movement mayin some cases employ a nozzle terminating in a convex, partly sphericalcontact face adapted to have part of its' forward spherical portionprojectedvwithin a nozzle having va circular opening, the edges of theopening y making atight contact with the contacting face ofthe nozzle,as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 602,465, filed Nov. 21,

1922, the two arrangements being equivalents, so far as the presentinvention is concerned. While I have shown the different parts of myimproved lubricant pistol in different operative `positions and have notactually shown the lubricant contained therein, it is understood that inoperation the lubricant will be contained within the compressor asdescribed, the same being omitted from the drawings, as is customary,for the purpose of better exposing the different operative parts.

Having now described my invention in a specific embodiment` I am awarethat numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodimentherein illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim 1. A lubricant compressor comprising two reservoirs having aport establishing communication therebetween. means for ejecting thecontents of one reservoir, a suction actuated follower for scavengingthe other reservoir, said follower having a sealing portion for coveringsaid port when the lubricant in said other reservoir is substantiallyexhausted. and an injection inlet for said other reservoir for fillingsaid compressor and thereby moving said follower to uncover said port.

2. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir having a port, meansfor withdrawing material through said port, a follower for scavengingthe reservoir, said follower having a sealing portion for covering saidport when the lubricant in said reservoir is substantially exhausted,and an injection inlet for said 'reservoir for filling said reservoirand thereby moving said follower to uncover said port.

3. A lubricant pistol comprising a barrel having a muzzle end and abreech end, a suction actuated follower in said barrel movablesubstantially the entire length thereof, telescopic means for ejectinglubricant from said barrel. said eject-ing means being mounted parallelvto and alongside said barrehand a handle on said barrel near the breechend in lino with said telescopic ejecting means.

4. A portable lubricant compressor com-V prising a barrel, a suctionactuated follower in said barrel, telescopic means for ejcctinglubricant from said barrel. said ejecting means being mounted parallelto and alongside said barrel, and a rigid handle on said Avbarrel foroperatingr said telescopic ejecting iio ' 5. A portable lubricantcompressor com-` prising a barrel, a suction actuated follower in saidbarrel, and telescopic means for` ejecting lubricant from said barrel,said ejecting means being mounted parallel to and alongside said barrel,said ejecting means including a slidable element proj ecting'beyond 'theend of said barrel for operating said ejecting means by being forced intoward said barrel.

6. A lubricant pistol having a muzzle end .and a breech end andcomprising a large reservoir and a small reservoir rigidly connectingand lying side by side, said large reservoir extending beyond the breechen d of said small reservoir, a. pistol grip on said large rescrvoirbehind the breech end of said ,small reservoir, a passageway connectingthe muzzle ends of said reservoirs, valved lubricant receiving means inthe muzzle end of said large reservoir, telescopic ejection meansprojecting from the muzzle end of said small i ervoirs, and telescopicejection means projecting from the muzzle Iend of ,said small reservoir.

8. A lubricant pistol having a muzzle. end and a. breech end andcomprising a large reservoir and a small reservoir rigidly connected andlying side by side. a pistol grip on said ,large reservoir behind thebreech end of said small reservoir, a passageway connecting saidreservoirs, ejection means projecting from the muzzle end of said smallreservoir,

.and means for operating said ejection means by a forwardly directedthrust.

9. A lubricant pistol havinga muzzle end and a breech end and comprisinga large reservoir and a small reservoir rigidly connected and lying sideby side, a pistol grip on said large reservoir, a passage-way connectingsaid reservoirs, and telescopic ejection means carried by said smallreservoir. i

10. A lubricant pistol having a muzzle end and a breech end andcomprising a large reservoir and a small reservoir rigidly connected andlying side by side, a pistolgrip on said large reservoir, a passage-wayconnecting the muzzle ends of Said reservoirs,.valved lubricantreceiving means in the muzzle end of said large reservoir, telescopicejection means projecting from the muzzle end of said small reservoir.beyond said injection means, and a suction actuated follower forscavenging said large reservoir.

11.` A lubricating compressor comprising a x lubricant. barrel, a handleprojecting laterally from said` barrel, a terminalY for engaging lareceiving fitting, and means for compressing lubricant operating bytelescoping movement on a line passing through sald handle at one sideof the barrel.

12. A lubricant compressor comprising a cylinder, a sleeve telescopingin one end of said cylinder, a piston slidable in said sleeve andabutting the other end of said cylinder, a compression spring forholding said piston against the cylinder end'vand said sleeve protruded,abutmenty means on said piston forming a seat for said spring, a packingencircling said sleeve where it leaves said cylind'cr, andabutment meanson said sleeve for seating said spring and compressing said packing.

13. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir, telescopic means onsaid reservoir projecting from one end thereof, for compressing anejecting lubricant, said reservoir and means having a sliding joint, apacking for sealing said joint, said packing be-` ing carried by saidtelescopic means, and a spring for extending said telescopic means, saidpacking engaging said reservoir at said joint to limit the extension ofsaid telescopic means.

14. A lubricant compressor comprising a ,said barrel for withdrawinglubricant'from in front of saidfollower and ejecting it at highpressure, and means for replenishing the supply of lubricant in saidbarrel between said follower and said compressing means, while both saidcompressing means and follower remain undisturbed in assembled operativerelation. l

16. A portable hand operated Vlubricant compressor comprising a barrel,a suction. actuated follower for scavenging said barrel, high pressurecompressing means foi1 withdrawing lubricant from in frontvof said fol-`lower and ejecting it at high pressure, and means for replenishing thesupply of lubricant in said barrel between said follower and saidcompressing means, while both said compressing means and follower remainundisturbed in assembled operative relation.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature this 1st day ofAugust, 1923.

OSCAR ZERK.

